Taken as a part with John Key’s dimissive (and deceptive and bullying) swatting away of concerns about the GCSB bill from the Human Rights Commission – and the Privacy Commsssioner and the Law Society – this latest insult makes it feel even more as if New Zealand is turning into a different sort of country. And not a good sort. Singapore without the duty of care? Certainly a country that has begun to move away from basic norms of free speech.

Isn't it a bit dumb of MED to try and get the government a veto function? After all, at that point, it's clearly subject to BORA, but if you just let Sky City handle it, that's an arguably commercial issue, and not really a BORA thing.

Also opens up hilarious can of worms about what's damaging to NZ etc -- suppose there's a Greens/Mana government, would an arms conference be the kind of thing that might be problematic?

Prism, GCSB, Sky City, to name just the most recent betrayals of democracy by this government that come to mind – and still the mainstream media are calm and hardly any one sees the relevance. What are they putting in our drinking water?

I have many, many thoughts on this convention centre, which I'll come back to when I've got a bit more time, but just quickly - I'm surprised at people thinking Sky City's original demands were actually anything they thought they'd be able to get. It's a pretty standard negotiating procedure for some companies to ask for something outrageous in order to get to what they're actually happy with - that way they can say they conceded so much, and the other side can feel like they really beat them down.

Farrar's line about SkyCity getting 'a quarter' of what they sought is an outright lie that only works if people focus on the headline pokie numbers and not the extra spots at automated gambling tables in the deal.

About now the main parties need to declare precisely where they stand in regard to citizens’ rights and the values and practices of the community. Let’s aim for a fair go for all, a Switzerland with a commitment to care (and a cherished head of state like Anne Salmond).

Farrar’s line about SkyCity getting ‘a quarter’ of what they sought is an outright lie that only works if people focus on the headline pokie numbers and not the extra spots at automated gambling tables in the deal.

I heard a chilling take on all this from a key person in Horizon Research ( sorry can't name them) . All the Nats need is to do is keep 30 - 32% of the voting population happy, if they get their votes they will get a majority of seats in parliament . The other 70% is split between the other parties and non voters. The 30 - 32% really like what the Nats are doing , all of it and the Nats PR machine knows this very well.

if you just let Sky City handle it, that's an arguably commercial issue, and not really a BORA thing.

Maybe not BORA, but still Human Rights Act in relation to discrimination in the provision of services. The entire veto concept is a ticking bomb for everyone. Just shows the utter arrogance being engendered by the current regime that it's even been considered.

The current regime acts as though it believes the law is the no man's land which separates the people from the rulership. We are responsible to the law, they are not. We are responsible to them, they are not responsible to us.

How many law changes in the term of the John Key 'presidency' have made life easier for the citizens, as opposed to those that have made life easier for the gummint?

It struck me that these little laws chipping away at our freedom and privacy can all be escalated in the blink if an eye. One event being labeled a terrorist attack in nz would be enough to send this govt in to over drive.

I think we should all send a copy of smiths dream to the PM for Christmas.

For the first time in my life I'm a little Affriad of my government :(

There's nothing more disturbing than a government granting itself more power and failing to construct adequate accountability or oversight mechanisms.

Marriage equality aside, I'm having trouble thinking of any legislation this government has passed which hasn't aided the privileged few at the expense of the rest. Tertiary education cuts, charter schools, welfare "reforms", and so on. National is the party of freedom - freedom to fall in the absence of a safety net, with the predators less constrained when hunting in the jungle.